My first bee brood to keep

[waveborn]

Just had my first and I'm freaking out, got a bad case of new daddy syndrome lol.

For the first time, I separated a holding female cichlid at around 2.25 weeks, and I didn't expect her to release her fry within an hour, about 5 days ahead of schedule. It's like she checked the calendar or something. I know if she feels safe, this could happen, but still.

Is mom okay with them? Should I put her back in the main tank? That's my main concern. I've always let them spawn in the main tank before and watched them get picked off with zero survival. Any advice? I really want to keep them this time.

[lentoa]

Congrats on the new additions, now you've got a handful. I'd say move momma back to the main tank, let her chill, and you can focus on raising the little ones. Daily water changes and twice-daily feeds should be your priority now.

[axiom]

I'm thinking of feeding them live brine shrimp - is that the way to go?

[waveborn]

Thanks for the response, I appreciate it. I'm inclined to agree with your suggestion, moving mom back to the main tank makes sense for multiple reasons. I did some digging and found the answer to my main concern, so no worries there. She wouldn't pose a threat to the fry in the short term, which is a relief. I'm curious about her hormonal state now, the more I learn, the better I'll be at this. Got some pics of the little ones, they're tiny with small black spots under the sponge filter - too cute.

[waveborn]

I'm thinking of feeding them live brine shrimp - is that the way to go?

I'm actually hatching live brine for the little ones, storing the extras in the fridge, they stay live that way, but honestly, you could crush whatever you're feeding the adults and it'd be just fine. A high protein fluffnut for a bit is awesome, but the crushed adult food works great too.

[kayos]

I'd take the female out too. Those tiny fry could use something like microworms or vinegar eels for the first week, works well for me. I found that an electric coffee grinder does a great job of turning larger dry food into a super fine consistency - perfect for the little ones.

[waveborn]

I'd take the female out too. Those tiny fry could use something like microworms or vinegar eels for the first week, works well for me. I found that an electric coffee grinder does a great job of turning larger dry food into a super fine consistency - perfect for the little ones.

Great advice pouring in, thanks for sharing your expertise. I'm feeling a mix of emotions - studied and successful on one hand, yet this experience has thrown me off a bit. Guess that's how we grow, right?

I'm kicking myself for not keeping a journal - so much thought and prep went into this, but I forgot to consider my own reaction and the female's timetable. Fry tank and feeding were my top priorities, I guess.

Planning to let her eat a meal or two and then return her to the main tank later today. Does that sound like a solid plan?

[waveborn]

Eggo, thanks for the congrats. I appreciate your input, but I've got a question - what's the basis for daily water changes? I'm intrigued by your reasoning here. With my setup - two fully cycled sponge filters and sand - my test results indicate I'm in good shape. I mean, I know sponge filters aren't always accurately rated, but I've got two that can handle 50 gallons each. I'm thinking stellar water for the fry is a given, but daily changes might be overkill unless I'm not prepared. I'm open to correction, though - always looking to learn and improve.

[lentoa]

Just had my first and I'm freaking out, got a bad case of new daddy syndrome lol.

For the first time, I separated a holding female cichlid at around 2.25 weeks, and I didn't expect her to release her fry within an hour, about 5 days ahead of schedule. It's like she checked the calendar or something. I know if she feels safe, this could happen, but still.

Is mom okay with them? Should I put her back in the main tank? That's my main concern. I've always let them spawn in the main tank before and watched them get picked off with zero survival. Any advice? I really want to keep them this time.

My fry tank's a bare bottom, no substrate, and it gets filthy on the glass floor, so I siphon out the fish poop and uneaten food daily - that's a 20-30% water change, daily. It keeps the floor clean and helps the fry grow. When you're feeding crushed food, the water gets dirty fast, and with 50+ fry in my tank, it's a must to do regular water changes. Bare bottom tanks are way easier to maintain, in my opinion.

[axiom]

When I was working with discus, daily water changes of 50% were pretty standard, and for good reason - those fish require near-perfect water to thrive. I'm not sure how delicate your cichlid fry are, but if you're running a bare bottom tank like lentoa, I'd definitely agree that daily syphoning to clean up any mess is a good way to stay on top of things.